The Wolf and the Doe
by myrrhmonkey96
Summary: One afternoon is all it takes for Remus Lupin's life to come crashing down. With his friends now shunning him, he is sure his life's just become a living hell. But in this newfound solitude comes a chance at the girl he has loved for years- Lily Evans.
1. The Incident

**Disclaimer: All characters and elements the magical world you recognize belong to the amazing JK Rowling, not me (unfortunately). Much of the dialogue is from **_**Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix**_**, in Snape's Worst Memory, I just put it in to my story to tell the story from Remus' point of view. Fear not, however, the rest of the story will be mine (with the exception of characters and setting)… Now, without further ado…**

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**The Wolf and the Doe**

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… _thus leaving the victim immobile with no means to protect themselves. While this is a very useful spell to use in self-defense, there remains some controversy over the fact that the Petrificus Totalus jinx renders the victim completely vulnerable to any attack the aggressor may have in mind. Though Petrificus Totalus is a fairly popular, simple jinx, the controversy surrounding its use is still debated today._

Remus Lupin leaned back against his chair, scratching his chin with the tip of his quill. Was his conclusion truly strong enough? The week before full moon wasn't exactly the most preferred time to sit the O., and Remus doubted that his writing skills –while still miles beyond that of his friends James Potter and Sirius Black, and lightyears away from the ability of Peter Pettigrew- were in top form. And Remus Lupin _needed_ top form. After all, he would need a miracle for anyone to even consider hiring a werewolf for even the simplest of jobs.

"Five more minutes!" Professor Flitwick cried out.

Remus reread the conclusion and decided it would have to do. It was, after all, Defense Against the Dark Arts – his best subject – and something as trivial as a few simple sentences on the last question would do no harm to the "O" he was sure to achieve.

He set down his quill and peered around the Great Hall at his fellow classmates. A gleam of auburn caught his eye from three seats away.

Lily Evans.

She was bent over her exam, her dark red hair cascading down her shoulders. She had one hand on her head, holding her hair away from her face as she jiggled her foot in time to the tapping of her quill. Remus couldn't see her face, but he knew she would be biting the corner of her bottom lip, freckled nose crinkled in thought. He lost his train of thought for a moment, watching the synchronization of Lily's restless movements.

Guiltily, he pulled himself out of his reverie; he knew for a fact that at least one other person was staring at her this intensely, and that that person, one of his best mates, had much more of a right to.

James, however, seemed completely absorbed in his test. This was highly unlikely; he was probably making up the list of things he and Sirius would need for their next prank.

This left Remus with a rare moment to openly admire Lily Evans from afar without feeling guilty.

Unfortunately, this opportunity was dashed as soon as it was presented as Flitwick called time and collected their parchments, succeeding in knocking himself over backwards.

Remus tore his eyes away from the back of Lily's head and began packing up his things, forcing his mind to focus back on reality.

He waited until a good portion of the students had left before getting up and joining James, Sirius, and Peter.

"So…" Sirius said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Did you like question ten, Moony?"

Remus nodded sharply, giving a small smile. "Loved it. 'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excelent question."

James' eyes widened in mock-seriousness. "D'you think you managed to get all the signs?"

"Think I did." Remus grinned and began ticking off the different signs on his fingers. "One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin…"

The three of them howled with laughter, though Peter looked seriously concerned.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail," he said anxiously, "but I couldn't think what else-"

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" James cried impatiently. "You run 'round with a werewolf once a month-"

"Keep your voice down," Remus implored, looking anxiously around to make sure none of the other students had heard.

The stepped through the great double doors into the blinding sunlight, making their way towards the lake.

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Sirius said, tossing his head arrogantly. "I'll be surprised if I don't get an outstanding on it at least."

Remus tuned out the other boys' conversation, already knowing what they would be saying.

They make their way to their beach tree – and yes, it was considered by 95% of the Hogwarts population to be _their_ tree, Sirius and James had made sure of that.

Remus had a feeling he knew why James had chosen this tree; it had to do with the group of girls walking ahead of them.

Lily Evans, along with eight or nine other girls from various other houses – Lily was practically the poster child for inter-house unity - , was quite fond of sitting by the lake and cooling her feet in the water, not too far from where the boys sat.

Not that Remus was complaining…

They reached the tree and threw themselves down carelessly on the long grass. Remus propped himself up against the tree trunk and pulled out a book. He pretended to read as James played with his famed stolen Snitch, much to the amusement of Peter.

Remus alternated between "reading", keeping an eye on James, and stealing lingering glances at the girls by the water. Or, if he was being completely honest with himself – which he tried to be, against his better judgment – Lily.

She had her socks and shoes off – hers were the red striped pair lying neatly on top of her shoes – and was dangling her feet down in the water; her toenail polish – as bright and quirky as ever- sparkled in the sun. He knew for a fact that it was purple this week, it was part of her routine: purple, red, red and yellow, then all the house colors together, and then purple again. Not that he would ever admit to knowing that… People already questioned his sexual preferences… Plus, it made him sound like a freak stalker…

Remus could bet what little gold he had on the fact that he was one of the five people who knew that particular quirk of hers: Lily herself, her two best friends Naomi and Katrina, their friend Matthew, and himself. Remus wasn't exactly sure how he fit into that category...

Remus glanced quickly back at his book when he saw James' hand creep towards his hair. Whenever James rumpled his hair, it was a sure sign that he was staring at Lily.

Remus glanced back at Lily and her friends once James turned back to fiddling with the Snitch. Her friend Matthew was approaching them, swinging his book bag back and forth. He was greeted by what seemed to be and enthusiastic welcome by the girls and sat down next to Lily, grabbing for her hand. James hated that, those signs of affection Matthew showed to "James'" Lily. It didn't help that Matthew wasn't an extremely effeminate or obvious gay man either – the only reason Remus knew him to be gay was that Matthew, under the impression that Remus was gay as well, had once hit on him in fourth year.

Matthew leaned over and whispered something to Lily. She bowed her head to listen, her hair covering her face from Remus' view. Suddenly, she snapped her head up and looked directly into Remus' eyes.

Remus quickly ducked his head back behind his book, cursing to himself. He tuned back into his friends' conversation just in time to hear Sirius' whining.

"I'm bored. Wish it was full moon."

Remus rolled his eyes at the page. "_You_ might," he said darkly. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored, you could test me… Here." He held the book he had been "reading" out to Sirius, who snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."

Remus shrugged and opened the book back up to a completely different page than before.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," James muttered, smiling impishly. "Look who it is…"

Remus watched with dread as Sirius turned his head, still as a predator that had just spotted its swift prey.

"Excellent," Sirius said softly. "_Snivellus_."

Remus closed his eyes, looking pained. He had seen Severus Snape sitting in a clump of bushes not too far from them long ago, but was hoping the others wouldn't. Snape had picked the wrong time to stand up…

James and Sirius stood as one, giving each other identical evil grins. Peter looked like a child waiting for the circus to begin- all he needed was some fairy floss.

Remus kept his eyes on his book as the two made their way towards Snape, his red and gold Prefect's badge seeming to burn his chest accusatorially. He knew he should do something – stop them- but he couldn't bring himself to do it. They had been so good to him for years; it would seem an injustice to turn them in for something everyone already knew they did. He left disciplining his companions to his fellow Gryffindor prefect, a job Lily Evans was more than happy to take on.

"All right, Snivellus?" James called loudly.

Snape dropped his bag and grabbed his wand so fast, he seemed to be expecting an attack (the more Remus reflected on this, he realized that he probably was). He was too slow, however; his wand flew out of his hand before he had raised it halfway.

James smiled as Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Impedimenta!" he cried, knocking Snape off his feet as he attempted to retrieve his wand. As per usual, a small throng was already beginning to gather around, eager for some entertainment at another's expense.

Sirius and James advanced on the fallen Snape, wands at the ready, and Remus went back to his book. If he'd seen it once, he'd seen it a thousand times – they were going to attack and humiliate Snape until he gave up or escaped, then wonder what it was that made him hate them so much. The idiots.

"Leave him ALONE!" cried the unmistakable, furious voice of Lily Evans. Remus' head snapped up. This couldn't be good…

Lily charged up to them, her thick red hair billowing wildly behind her, green eyes narrowed, hands balled into fists.

"All right, Evans?" James asked pleasantly, attempting to sound mature.

"Leave him alone," she repeated harshly. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," James mused, pretending to think about it. "It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…"

Remus frowned into his book, pressing his lips together disapprovingly as the onlookers laughed.

"You think you're funny," Lily snarled. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe rag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James said quickly, trying to come across as charming. "Go on… Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Remus' insides churned at his words. To think James felt he had a right to Lily when he did nothing but wreak havoc, bully younger students, and torment Snape whenever she was around. She deserved someone… _better_. Someone smarter… Kinder… Humbler… Someone who knew things about her that she barely did herself. Not someone who didn't even call her by her first name.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," he heard Lily snap. His lips quirked up into a small smile at her words.

"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly. "OY!"

Remus looked up quickly, just in time to see Snape sending a cutting curse at James.

James whirled around, one hand on his sliced cheek, the other grasping his wand. With a flash of light, James had Snape hanging upside down in midair, robes over his head, revealing skinny legs and graying underpants.

The group around them cheered, even Lily's lips twitched for a second as though she was going to smile, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. "Let him down!" she insisted.

James gave her a sickeningly false smile. "Certainly."

Snape came crashing to the ground, landing in a heap with a loud thud. He jumped to his feet, but Sirius cried "Locomotor Morits!" and Snape came crashing back to the ground, rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted, getting her own wand out now.

James and Sirius eyed her wand cautiously and with good reason, for Lily was famous for the damage she could do with her wand when provoked.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James cautioned.

"Take the curse off him, then!" she cried.

James heaved a sigh and muttered the counter curse. "There you go," he said as Snape stood back up. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape yelled.

Everyone went silent. Even Remus couldn't stop a small gasp from escaping. Sure, Snape was a Slytherin, but he was also – against all reason – one of Lily's best friends.

Lily fixed her gaze on Snape, giving him a cold, hard look that would make even Lucius Malfoy run screaming. "Fine," she said coolly, weighting her words to be sure Snape got the message. "I won't bother you in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared, pointing his wand at Snape.

"I don't want you to make him apologize," Lily shouted, turning her glare to James. "You're just as bad as he is…"

"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a – you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." Breathing hard, face furious and red as her hair, she gave James one last withering glare, turned on her heel and hurried away. James called after her, but she didn't look back.

"What is it with her?" James asked.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," Sirius said, clapping James on the back.

Remus was busy watching Lily make her way up to the castle. The way she kept moving her hands to her face gave him the distinct impression that she was crying.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Remus snapped back to the scene before him. James had Snape upside down again, the crowd jeering and laughing around them.

Remus closed his book with a snap. This was far over the line. He got to his feet and moved swiftly towards the scene.

"James!" he called.

James turned to him wearing a pleased smirk. "Ah, Moony, I see you are the first officially in favor."

There was uproar as the crowd clamored for attention, all encouraging James to go on. James smiled, opening his mouth and raising his wand.

"James!" Remus repeated.

This had the opposite effect than what he had been hoping for; the crowd began chanting the name like a war cry.

"YOU'RE OUT OF LINE, JAMES!"

The crowd fell silent almost instantly. It was rare enough that Sirius contradicted James, for Remus to do so was unheard of.

James turned to face him, the smile fading as he blinked in shock. "What?" he asked, sounding dumbstruck.

"I said, you're out of line, James," Remus repeated, raising his eyebrows cooly.

"Wha- Moony…" James said, smiling as if waiting for someone to yell out 'April Fools!' though it was the middle of May. When no one did, however, James' eyebrows knit together in childlike confusion. "Moony?"

"I've let you get by with plenty else, James, but you've gone too far this time. Put Snape down and let him alone." Remus glanced up at the red-faced Slytherin glaring down at them all from around ten feet off the ground. 'Furious' simply could not describe his expression.

"Aw, come on, Moony! … Remus?... It's only Snape…"

"Snape or not, he is a student here and one of my duties as prefect is to protect the students of Hogwarts. Now I am _ordering_ you, James, as a prefect, to _put him down and leave him alone_."

Remus didn't know what had suddenly given him the courage to stand up to James. He could almost see their friendship crumbling before his eyes as he spoke. _It's for Lily_, he told himself. _You're doing this for Lily…_

James stared at him, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water.

"_Now_, James. Or I will be forced to take fifty points from Gryffindor."

"Remus?" James whispered, looking more vulnerable than Remus had ever seen him. Sirius stared at him in shock from over James' shoulder.

Remus raised an eyebrow and James turned slowly back towards Snape. Looking like a small boy who had just been told that Cookie Monster had suddenly developed a fondness for fruits and vegetables, he raised his wand and slowly lowered Snape to the ground. Snape snatched up his things and ran back up to the castle.

The crowd was silent. Not even the birds in the trees made a peep.

Remus swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He nodded jerkily to James and Sirius. "Thank you, James," he muttered, much too polite and formal for a group of friends. He turned and walked back to the tree, snatched up his book bag, and continued on his way back to the castle, trying to ignore the stunned silence behind him.

Well, that friendship was over, he thought grimly himself. It had been good while it had lasted. He was back to where he'd started five years ago, alone and friendless, he was sure.

_For Lily,_ he reminded himself as tears blurred his vision, despite his attempts to stop them. _You did it for Lily._

Remus felt sure that it was wrong of him, but this thought seemed to validate his every word.

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**A/N: This is my first story… I wrote it about a year ago, so it's not the best but… I needed a first story to upload to get the hang of this website and I found this one on my computer. I'll probably change the title later on as the story develops, seeing as I feel like revisiting this one… Review please! I LOVE constructive criticism (hint hint)! :-P **


	2. The Aftermath

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm still having problems coping with this fact…**

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Breakfast the next day was a quiet, lonely affair.

Remus sat alone at the corner of the Gryffindor table, tasting nothing of his breakfast as he tried to ignore the stares of the other students and the pressing sense of solitude he felt closing in on him.

Most students kept their distance, preferring to watch and whisper curiously amongst each other from a safe distance. The story was all over the school now: Remus Lupin had defied James Potter to save Severus Snape from humiliation. _Such a scandal_, Remus thought sarcastically to himself. Not many were willing to write themselves into the middle of such a drama.

The few that did approach were Hufflepuffs. They praised him for his bravery, kindness, integrity… Remus wasn't really listening. He nodded and smiled at what seemed to be the appropriate times, but didn't really hear what they were saying. The pressure of knowing that he'd just lost the only friends he'd ever had was pressing down hard upon him, blocking out all sound.

Remus finished what little he had on his plate and stalked off to the library, where he could hopefully stay out of the spotlight for an hour or two until the Transfiguration exam started.

He had just settled down in his favorite chair with _Lord of the Flies, _a muggle book that he had never heard of before, and a contraband bar of chocolate when he glimpsed something moving in the corner of his eye. Thinking it was Madam Pince, the old hag of a librarian, he quickly shoved his chocolate out of sight.

"No, it's okay," said a soft voice. "It's just me."

Remus looked up to see none other than Lily Evans standing before him, biting her lip and rocking slightly back and forth on the balls of her feet. _**Just**__ you?_ he couldn't help thinking.

"O-Oh," he stuttered, clearing his throat. "Hi."

She twisted her hands together nervously, attempting to smile, though it came across looking more like she was in pain than anything else.

"I, um…" she started, staring at some point on Remus' jumper. " I wanted to thank you… For what you did for Sev – for Snape," she corrected herself, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment before continuing. "I… Thank you. I really… Just… Thanks."

She finally met his eye and Remus could feel his stomach doing backflips. He nodded, not trusting his voice. There was a rather awkward moment in which they just stared at each other, neither of them knowing what to say.

"Well…" she said finally, breaking her gaze. "I'll see you around…" She turned to leave and was halfway to the door before Remus finally found his voice.

He jumped to his feet. "Lily wait!" he cried.

"Ssssshhhhhh!" Madam Pince hissed, glaring at Remus from where she stood dusting off books three aisles down.

Lily turned to face him. He lost his nerve.

"Good –Good luck on the Transfiguration exam," he said in a rush, ignoring Madam Pince.

Lily nodded slowly and began turning back to the door.

"Oh, and Lily!" he called again.

"Yes Remus?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Ssssshhhh!" Madam Pince insisted, but Remus paid her no mind. His stomach was doing cartwheels at the way his name sounded coming from Lily's lips.

"Anytime."

She looked deep into his eyes, tilting her head to the side as her eyes bore into his soul, searching, curious. Then her full lips pulled into a small smile and she nodded. She nodded and continued out the door.

He stared at the empty space where she had just stood, out of breath from the leftover adrenaline coursing through his veins. A slow grin crept across his face till he was smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

She had talked to him. She had talked directly to him for the first time in his life. She had sought him out and she had _talked_ to him. And he had been able to talk to her without sounding like a complete fool. He had made her smile. She had looked deep into his soul and she had _smiled_.

Forgetting about anything and everyone else, Remus threw himself into some odd kind of celebratory dance, hopping and flailing around in place as he stuffed his mouth with the remains of his hidden chocolate bar.

"MR. LUPIN!" Madam Pince shrieked, bringing Remus crashing back to reality.

Remus froze, eyes wide. "Damn," he swore, rushing to gather his things and stuff them in his bag before Madam Pince saw them.

"You are disrupting the peace and quiet of this establishment. Your dancing is inappropriate for those around us and – IS THAT CHOCOLATE? Chocolate in the library! Get out. GET OUT! I thought you knew better, Mr. Lupin! I thought you had more respect for the written word!" she screeched, chasing him out of the library, whacking any accessible part of him with her feather duster. "Apparently, I was wrong!" she called after his retreating back. "You're no better than those friends of yours!"

She slammed the library doors shut with a bang of indignation.

Remus plodded ahead, making his way back down to the Great Hall with heavy spirits. With one sentence, Madam Pince had popped whatever happy bubble Remus had been living in two minutes ago. Her words rung in his head, _You're no better than those friends of yours…_

_What friends? _Remus thought glumly. _They don't want me anymore… _His worst nightmare had come true.

They had always been so good to him. They included him, they accepted him, they became Animagi for him, and he had just thrown all of that away.

_Well, _the logical side of his brain was saying, _You did the right thing. Think how you'd feel if you let them go ahead and do it._

_I'd still have friends, _he argued.

_You'd still be a bully._

_I was never a bully! I've never tormented anyone in my life!_

_Have you ever stood up for one of James and Sirius' victims before now? Have you ever stopped it?... Didn't think so._

Remus frowned to himself. The voice had a point. He had been so worried about losing his friends that he had sacrificed other innocent students to James and Sirius' taunting. Suddenly, he felt disgusted with himself.

_See?_ the voice said. _Don't you feel better now?_

_No._

_Not even a bit?_

_Bugger off._

A derisive laugh shook Remus out of his reverie. He realized that he was standing in the middle of the entrance hall, staring blankly into space like an idiot.

Looking around, his eyes fell upon the tall sixth year girl who had laughed. Remus crinkled his nose in distaste. Bellatrix Black, Sirius' cousin.

Her Slytherin robes had been magically modified to fit her figure like a glove, clinging to her every curve. Her skirt was short, her shirt was low, and her heavy lidded eyes were covered with black makeup.

"Lose something, Lupin?" she purred, slinking over to his side.

"No," he replied curtly.

"Oh? Not even your friends?" She cackled mockingly at the way Remus' muscles clenched in response. "Mmm, never mind that. You don't need them…" she sneered, looking him up and down.

Remus didn't like the way she was looking at him. His eyes darted around, jaw tense, looking for an exit, but the Slytherins had formed a wall around them.

"I'll show you what you need," she whispered, pressing herself up against him. "Why don't you come with me, Lupin? I could teach you _so_ much…" Her lips were millimeters away from his; he could feel her breath on his face.

"I'll pass, thanks," he replied, stepping back. She grabbed his tie, yanking him back to her.

"No one ever says no to me," Bellatrix hissed. "There's nothing I like better than a good little boy. I like…" she ran her hand down his chest, uncomfortably close to the waistband of his pants. He blanched, but she paid him no mind. "To ruin them…"

Remus tried to pull away once more, but she wound herself around him until she was behind him. "The good ones always turn out to be the wildest," she whispered in his ear. "One might even say… Wolflike," she murmured, flicking his earlobe with her tongue as she spoke her last word.

Remus flinched and the Slytherins laughed. "Think about it, Lupin. Come spend some time with the good Black. And by good… I mean _bad_." She gave him one last predatory smirk before turning on her heel and walking away, followed by her posse of Slytherins.

He spent a few moments in shock, staring at nothing, feeling dirty and horrified.

"Hello, Remus Lupin," said a soft, lilty voice from near his elbow. "You don't look well."

Remus looked down and found himself looking into the enormous grey eyes of Yasmeen McDaniels, a Ravenclaw fourth year that had always been too perceptive for his liking. With horror still lodged in his throat, it was all he could do to shake his head.

"What did that Bellatrix Black want?" she asked, cocking her head to the side, her extremely long, wild mess of hair nearly brushing the ground.

"Me," Remus choked out.

"Ah. I see… That makes sense; she was on you like a Wobbly Fracksnosher…"

"A what?" Remus asked, temporarily forgetting the events of the past five minutes.

"Xeno told me about them," she said, as if this explained everything. Xenophilius Lovegood, a very odd sixth year Ravenclaw, was a friend of Yasmeen's, though most others preferred to keep their distance.

"Uh-huh…" Remus hummed, still preoccupied with the revolting event he had just lived through. He shuddered. "That was horrible."

"It could be worse. You could have been attacked by a Bangflabber Rendinkflinger… _That_ would have been horrible."

Remus didn't really feel like asking. Checking his watch, he saw that he had five minutes to go into the Great Hall and find a desk before the Transfiguration exam began.

"I'm sure it would be," he said brusquely. "Look, Yasmeen, I've got to go. Good talking to you."

"And to you, Remus Lupin! Good luck on your exam! And good luck next Tuesday!" she called to his retreating back.

Remus glared at nothing in particular. Leave it to Yasmeen to go shouting something like that loud enough for half the school to hear. She had figured out his secret within two months of first seeing him. How exactly, he did not know, but thankfully she had always kept it to herself. The question was, how did Bellatrix Black know?

This thought preoccupied him for a good minute until he entered the Great Hall and realized most of the fifth years were already seated. _Damn_, he thought. There were practically no empty seats. He scanned the room, searching for a friendly face. Those that caught his eye, however, quickly looked away. Sirius, James, and Peter were sitting in the middle of the room as usual, but today there was no empty spot waiting for Remus to come fill it. That space had been taken up by a member of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team Remus recognized by sight, but not name.

He scanned the room, trying not to let his hurt show. _Where to sit… Where to sit…_

"Remus! Oi, Remus!" a voice called out from his left. It was Matthew Jacobson, Lily's friend. Remus looked at him in confusion. "Come and sit over here you daft dunderhead, we've got an empty space!"

_Well,_ Remus thought, _better him than Goyle. _He made his way to where Matthew sat next to Katrina Litton, Naomi Goldhirsch, and two empty seats.

"Pull up a chair, mon frère," Matthew says in a singsong voice, gesturing to the seat on his left. "We saved it just for you."

"You did?" Remus asked as he sat down.

"Yep," Katrina yawned, flipping her light brown hair out of her eyes. "We figured with those dumbarses being – well, dumbarses – you'd need a place to sit."

"Think of it as a thank you gift," Matthew says, clapping Remus on the shoulder. "To you from Lily, via us, the most amazing people you will ever meet."

"Right…" Remus muttered, feeling awkward and unsure.

"Don't scare the poor boy, Matthew," Naomi chided gently, pulling the sleeves of her long sleeved tee-shirt down further over her arms.

"Sorry…" Matthew mumbled. "So, what was going on with Bellatrix Black out there?"

Remus shuddered.

"Yeah, that's what it looked like. I was ready to throw up for you. The creepy skank-ho…" Katrina said, looking disgusted. "Matthew was ready to run screaming…"

"Was not!"

"Was too! Point is, we feel sorry for you. We'd have backed you up – Oh okay,_ I_ would have backed you up, but… That biotch is crazy."

Naomi nodded, frowning disapprovingly at the memory.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of fire seemed to touch down in their midst. Remus felt a slight panic, though the others didn't so much as blink. The tornado died down and he realized it to be a panicked Lily Evans, hair flying everywhere as she sprinted to her seat. She threw herself down in the chair just as the doors to the Great Hall slammed shut.

"Phew," she sighed, breathing hard. "I thought I wasn't going to make it. I lost track of time reading in the dormitory." She pushed the thick veil of fiery red hair out of her face, and as she did so, saw Remus for the first time. "Oh… Hi, Remus." She smiled shyly.

Remus opened his mouth to reply but didn't get the chance, as just then Professor McGonagall called the hall to attention and began giving directions for the exam.

Remus stared down at his paper. _Focus_, he told himself, _focus_.

However, with Lily sitting so close to him, he felt focusing would be easier said than done.

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**A/N: Thank you to all my people who reviewed! My… Reviewing Peoples Thanks to my amazing friend Christina (fantasyvampiress or whatever it is) for helping me write this and for being my non-official beta… And for coming up with "Wobbly Fracksnosher" and "Bangflabber Rendinkflinger"… Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**PS: Hello out there to all non-American people, you rock! I can't tell you how psyched I got when I saw that people from France, Australia, Indonesia, the UAE, Finland, Singapore, Israel, Brazil, and all the other awesome countries you guys come from were reading my stories! I've always been fascinated with foreign countries and languages! So, hello to you all! **

**PSx2: You know what to do… Clicky Clicky… You know you want to… **


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